


Nightmares

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Confused Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Curses, Fluff, Good Morgana (Merlin), Hurt Merlin (Merlin), M/M, Magic Revealed, Nightmares, Pining Merlin (Merlin), Protective Knights (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27280270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: A Curse hits Camelot, but Merlin genuinely didn't think it would be him that got put under its influence
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 679





	1. Falling

_‘When the bell strikes midnight, the strongest in each room within the Castle shall fall into a nightmare, saved only by those closest.’_

The day was filled with anarchy. Arthur was trying to organise the Castle so that the staff were within the throne room at midnight, so that only one person need fall under the curse. Merlin and Morgana had spent most of the day secretly trying to undermine the curse that the sorcerer had placed, but each loophole they found had been thought of. The spell was near-impenetrable, and eventually Merlin had to concede to the fact that Arthur’s tactic might be the best.

The King didn’t need to know that Merlin was worried that his plan wasn’t going to work. After all, if the strongest person in each room would fall, then who would it be? Arthur had ordered his Knights to join, presuming it would be one of them. His method was a good one, it would keep the staff safe, presumably.

There was no way he could be the strongest. He may have Magic, but surely Arthur beat him in terms of strength? From the worried glances that Lancelot, Gaius and Morgana gave him throughout the day, they weren’t as sure that it was Arthur.

‘Hurry up, Merlin!’ Arthur had been irritable for most of the day, which was understandable. He allowed it, trying to balance the normal chores with the fact that blankets and bedding had to be brought to the throne room. By nightfall, most had already made it to the room, stacked full with servants and Knights that usually lived within the Castle Walls. Those that had another home did leave, but it still left at least thirty people to cram in.

Merlin opted for handing out blankets, smiling to the servants and inclining his head to the Knights as he moved through the people.

Arthur was by his throne, talking to Gwen while the Round Table Knights buzzed around them. Gwaine was lazing on the steps, winked in Merlin’s direction as he approached.

‘How long do we have?’ Arthur asked, looking in Merlin’s direction.

‘Two hours, approximately.’ The King nodded, then turned back to Gwen. Gaius gave him a meaningful look, like he was supposed to question further, but Merlin settled for the silence.

‘Is anyone going to ask whose waking up the Princess if he goes for a nap?’ Arthur kicked Gwaine in the back, the Knight wincing before his smirk returned. The question did spark conversation, Gwen suggesting that Morgana might be the best to try and wake Arthur up from his nightmare.

‘I could try,’ Morgana’s sly smile was dangerous, ‘But we all know it isn’t me that’ll wake Arthur.’ Heads turned to Merlin, who purposefully looked anywhere but at them as the Knights agreed.

‘Enough. It might not even be me.’ Arthur pointed out, knowing better than to try and argue. Over the past weeks, everyone had been more forward in teasing Arthur and Merlin. The Warlock figured it was because of the fact that peacetime was settling over Camelot, and they could make fun of the fact that Arthur kept Merlin around.

Merlin, for his part, strictly ignored the fact that his heart seemed to skip whenever Arthur was around, because he knew how the King actually felt about him.

‘Well, I’m comfortable in the fact it won’t be me.’ Guinevere stated, laughing slightly as she did so. Merlin smiled, glad that she was comforting the group, moving to her side. Time trickled past, mostly filled with Gwen trying to braid the longer parts of Merlin’s hair, while he did Morgana’s. Arthur tried to tease them on multiple occasions, but Morgana threatened to stab him, so Arthur quickly changed his mind.

When midnight struck, a silence descended over the hall. The bell was rung in the throne room, while people began to look in every direction to locate who would fall under the spell.

Merlin didn’t take his eyes off of Arthur, sitting proudly on his throne and waiting to find if it would be him. He looked tense, hands clutching the arms of the throne, but otherwise unharmed. The bell finished ringing, and as the seconds ticked on, people started to get confused.

The Warlock stumbled slightly, feeling nauseous as he glanced to Morgana to check she was unaffected. The Witch was staring right back at him, eyes wide and a look of horror crossing over her face. He only figured out why when he felt something warm on his face, rose his fingers to his upper lip and watched as they came back red.

‘Oh, I…’ He choked on the next word, tried to take a step towards her in the hope that she might help, only to fall. It was a Knight that caught him, with shouts of his name echoing out while Merlin tried to remember why exactly he’d ever doubted that Magic counted.

**

Morgana cradled his head carefully, wiping away the blood from under his nose. As soon as Merlin had dropped, Arthur had ordered everyone out with immediate effect. They scattered, knowing how protective the King got over his manservant, and nobody dared stop him from scooping Merlin up.

Now, the Warlock was resting on Arthur’s bed, with the King pacing the room as the Knights looked on nervously.

‘Sire, might I suggest some form of restraints…’ When it came to Merlin, Gaius wouldn’t care if Arthur said yes or no. Morgana knew that, and so began carefully reaching for the neckerchief around his neck, figuring that might work to tie one of his wrists.

‘How is Merlin the strongest?’ Sir Leon pointed out, his question earning some glares, and some protective glances.

‘Says the man that needs armour to walk into battle.’ Gwaine pointed out, defensive from the moment Merlin dropped.

‘Stop it, all of you. This isn’t helping, we need to wake Merlin up.’ Gwen rarely snapped, and when she did, people listened. Arthur bowed his head in shame, while Gwaine simply nodded.

‘Who would you suggest?’ Gwen asked the question to Gaius, who looked around the room. It was a good point, which of them would be the closest to the Warlock? Arthur was his literal other half, but he was unaware of the secrets that Merlin kept. Gwaine was like a brother to him, but the Knight had never openly asked about his Magic.

‘Perhaps you, Guinevere, might be a good start?’ Gwen nodded anxiously, crawling up onto the bed next to Morgana. Her hands shook slightly when she reached for him, before she a look of determination took over.

‘Merlin, can you hear me?’


	2. Wake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin's stuck in a nightmare, and Arthur's thinking

_‘Merlin, can you hear me?’ The question was oddly phrased, considering the situation they were in. The Warlock rose his head, exhausted, and looked to the King seated upon his throne. By his side, the Queen of Camelot, Mithian. He could have sworn the woman had gone back to her own Kingdom, thanks to Arthur’s dismissal of her affections, yet here she was._

_The Knights of the Round Table stayed still, watching as Merlin shuffled on his knees, the chains clanking as he did so._

_‘You know why you’re here.’ Arthur’s voice was cold, detached. Merlin didn’t try and hope that he would be saved, he knew what would happen now._

_This was it._

_‘I’d never hurt you, Arthur.’ That was the only words he could think of, the only thing that he was going to stick to._

_Rather than looking thankful, the King looked horrified. Disgusted._

_‘Take him out to the Pyre.’ Since his coronation, no sorcerers had been burned. Morgana thought it was a sign, and Merlin usually agreed. Maybe it was the betrayal, or the fact that Merlin had openly used Magic to try and save him._

_None of the Knights tried to prevent it. They watched as two of the Guards came forwards, grabbed the chains and yanking him back towards the doors._

_This would be the last time he got to see Arthur, until the moment his Pyre was lit. The further he got, the closer the doors got to him, he started to panic. Pleading, begging, not for his life, but for Arthur to listen to him._

_The King didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink as Merlin was dragged out._

**

Lancelot knew what he was dreaming of. To begin with, when Merlin’s body started to tense and arch, he hoped it was just a normal nightmare. Perhaps a mystical creature, or everyone’s typical nightmares of forgetting losing their clothes in the middle of a crowded room.

Then Merlin whimpered, and that was what made Lancelot’s heart break. He’d seen the Warlock deal with so many difficult situations, but only when Arthur was involved did he ever get so… upset. Hurt.

Morgana was trying to soothe him, murmuring soft words and stroking his hair. Gwen had tried to wake him multiple times, but Gaius feared the nightmare had progressed too far for him to hear them.

If it came to choosing between keeping Merlin’s secret, or helping him wake, Lancelot knew which one he’d choose. He could only imagine what Merlin was seeing, and when the Warlock whimpered Arthur’s name…

Lancelot couldn’t do it. He broke, pushing past Gwaine and going to the bed. Morgana understood, of course she did, moved out of the way to let Lancelot take the seat.

‘Merlin…’

‘ _Please, please_.’ The terror in his voice was real, cracking Lancelot’s heart as he gently reached for the boy’s shoulders.

‘It’s okay, Merlin. It’s not real.’ When that didn’t work, when Merlin started shuddering under his touch, Lancelot decided to go for it.

‘You’re safe, remember? It’s me, Lancelot, you trust me.’

**

_Merlin halted, daring to open his eyes. The Guard holding the torch was frozen, the flame flickering dangerously close to the Pyre. But beyond him, standing just out of reach, was Sir Lancelot._

_‘You’re safe, remember? It’s me, Lancelot, you trust me.’ He did, that was true. But he also trusted Arthur, and here he was, tied to a Pyre. The King hadn't even bothered to stand out on the balcony, wasn’t going to watch as he burned._

_‘I don’t want to burn.’ He pleaded, watched as Lancelot winced._

_‘You won’t burn. I promise you, I’d never let you burn.’ The Warlock could almost believe him, the sincerity in his voice…_

_‘Lance…’_

_‘That’s it, you know me, Merlin. I’d never hurt you.’ Lancelot had kept his secret, even though it contradicted with his rules of being a Knight. He kept the truth from Arthur, because he trusted Merlin._

_‘Arthur…’_

_‘Wouldn’t burn you.’ Could that be true? He looked towards the Balcony, waiting to see if Arthur would come forwards, if he’d stop it._

_‘But…’_

_‘Show me. Show me your gift, Merlin.’ Lancelot sometimes requested to see Magic, when they were far enough away from Camelot. But this was different, Merlin was tied to the Pyre, and…_

_‘If you think he’d let you burn, then there’s no harm in showing.’ He had a point, and Merlin trusted Lancelot. He let his Magic come forwards, a singular spark of light that bounced in front of them, before forming a butterfly._

_‘How could you be burned for something so beautiful?’_

_‘Arthur…’_

_‘Trusts you.’_

_‘I don’t want to burn.’ He repeated the words, watching as Lancelot smiled sadly._

_‘Merlin, you could use your Magic to escape.’ It was a good point._

_‘If Arthur thinks that I should burn…’ The torch was diminished, the flame vanishing. Lancelot took a step back, and Merlin was shocked to see Arthur taking his place._

_‘Arthur?’_

**

His manservant had Magic.

Merlin had Magic.

The same manservant that was on the bed, writhing in fear of being burned. The butterfly he’d created, the one that somehow symbolised Merlin perfectly, had fluttered over to rest in Guinevere’s hair. If Merlin could use Magic to escape the Pyre, but thought he should stay because of Arthur…

Lancelot moved out of the way, so Arthur awkwardly perched on the edge of the bed.

‘ _Arthur_?’ Merlin’s voice was croaky, like he’d been crying for a while. Although his eyes stayed shut, it was clear that he knew the King was here.

For a moment, Arthur didn’t know if he could reply. Too many emotions rushing around, the pain of his manservant having Magic, quickly replaced with the fear of losing Merlin.

‘Merlin, you idiot.’ The relief in his voice was strangely overpowering, and he watched as Merlin’s lips quirked up at the sides. Even stuck in a nightmare-curse, his manservant could identify his sarcasm.

‘You’re asleep.’ Merlin looked confused for a moment, his nose scrunching up adorably.

‘Asleep?’

‘It was a curse, Merlin. You’re not… I wouldn’t let you burn.’ His hands were restless, awkwardly reached out to clasp Merlin’s hand.

‘But I have Magic.’ How could Magic possibly be evil, if Merlin had it? The betrayal stung, the fact that Merlin didn’t trust him enough to tell him he had Magic. But then again, how hadn't Arthur noticed? The more he thought about it, the more things started to make sense. Too many lucky escapes, too many times that he should have died.

‘That’s… okay. We can talk about that, once you’ve woken up.’ Clearly, he wasn’t doing enough. The Knights all had varying emotions, while Morgana and Gwen were frowning. Gaius remained impassive, though his eyes showed pride.

‘I…’

‘Come on, Merlin. Honestly, only you’d try and get days off by sleeping. And in my bed, as well.’ Merlin’s body relaxed, the tension seeping out visibly, so Arthur dared to squeeze the hand he was holding.

‘Your bed’s comfy.’ Merlin murmured, and Arthur laughed.

‘I don’t want to ask how you know that.’ The smirk that flickered over Merlin’s lips, before he took a deeper breath.

‘Okay. I trust you.’ Just as Arthur trusted Merlin. The King smiled, shut his eyes for a moment and prayed.

When the hand squeezed back, Arthur could finally release the breath he’d been holding. Merlin’s eyes flicked open, dazed and confused, burning the brightest golden that Arthur had ever seen.

But he didn’t care. He settled for laughing, yanking his manservant up and into a hug, uncaring that the others were watching. Merlin’s arms wrapped right back around him, and in that moment, Arthur found he genuinely did not care about the Magic.

They’d have to talk about it. But, for now, he could just settle for the fact that he had his friend back.


End file.
